


a glimmer of hope amidst a sea of evil

by orphan_account



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Body Horror, Gen, its gonna get really wack real fast trust me, possession kinda???, shipping implied but nothing explicit, the ipre are lost to the relics au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-09
Updated: 2017-11-19
Packaged: 2019-01-31 07:07:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12676890
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: The plan succeeded. The Light of Creation was successfully split into the grand relics, and six out of seven members went out to hide them. Lucretia stayed behind. It isn't until weeks later when she realizes just how bad things have gotten for them.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> hewwo!!! i've been planning this fic for a long time and im so so so excited to finally be able to share it!!! please leave a comment if you are enjoying it and if you wanna ask me about anything going on my tumblr is @bard

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yeah

Lucretia is more focused than she has been in a long time. Her hand moves fast, dancing as smoothly across the paper as a figure skater on an icy lake. The letters are careful and precise, never missing a beat.

 

And then the timer rings.

 

She’s stunned for a moment, nearly messing up the final letter. Fischer claps two tendrils together from their tank across the room. Lucretia smiles at them -- not quite a happy smile, but more of a “ _ You never cease to amaze me _ ” smile. 

 

“Alright, I think that’s enough for one day.” She pushes the chair back, steps out of it, and sets her journal on the bookshelf.

 

The Starblaster has been vacant for some time now. After they split the light, the rest of the crew had gone out to distribute their relics as according to plan while Lucretia volunteered to stay behind and keep watch of the ship. Loneliness was inevitable, but it had begun to take a toll on her the longer they were away.

 

Everything in the Starblaster reminded her of them: The photos they’d strung on the wall of the best cycles, the leftover meals from the twins still  lying in the fridge, the miniature wooden ducks Magnus had carved for each of them, hand-painted to look like them. A pressure pushed down on her chest. She had a heartache that could only be cured by the company of her loved ones. 

 

Fisher made a noise that sounded along the lines of “ _ What’s wrong _ ?”

 

“I miss them. I know it’s only been a few weeks’ time but it’s so… Lonesome up here, just the two of us.”

 

Lucretia looked wistfully at Fisher as their tendrils twirled and made the tank’s water bubble around them. If jellyfish could smile, this one would be.

 

“...and I’m talking to a space jellyfish. I’m losing my mind.”

 

Fisher suddenly looked a bit sadder.

 

“I’m sorry.” Now she was apologizing to it. Great. “Alright, enough of that. It’s lunch time.”

 

She reached to the bookshelf and withdrew a spiral bound binder with a blue cover. She flipped it open to peruse the  disorganized bundle of songs, most of which were unfinished and short. 

 

“Hm… how do you feel about ‘Phoenix Festival Symphony No. 16’ from cycle 58?” She asked, tapping her chin and flipping through the contents.

 

At Fisher’s cheerful hum, Lucretia carefully tore out the page and dropped it in through the top of the tank.

 

Lucretia could remember the song almost perfectly. Cycle 58 was a world blossoming with unique cultures and places. They were greeted with such hospitality that the people had celebrated in their honor, and were gracious enough to even give them the sheet music from the many musical performances.

 

Fisher's tendrils wrapped around the sheet, folding it and rolling it up to a size small enough to consume.

 

And just like that, it was gone. Or, Lucretia assumed it was. 

 

The only sounds she could hear was the soft hum of the lights and engine in the ship and Fisher’s tank water sloshing around. No yelling coming from the crew as they messed around, no laughing or giggling or jokes of any sort, just emptiness.

 

Lucretia’s gaze drifted to the window. It was cloudy outside, almost about to rain. 

 

“I’m heading out to get some supplies. Watch the ship for me?” She knew they couldn’t really do much, but asked anyways. Fisher happily obliged, twirling around in their tank and making happy noises. Lucretia smiled and slipped on her coat.

 

The ship is hovering above an empty field, somewhat easy to land and conceal. She takes the wheel, using her years of practice to aid her, and lands it smoothly on top of a sea of grain. 

 

The door opens and a fleeting wind sweeps through, knocking away some loose papers. Lucretia huffs as she stares back at them, taking a mental note to pick them up when she gets back.

 

Her relic, the Bulwark Staff, is propped up against the wall next to the door, ready for her to (rather inappropriately) use as a walking stick. The wood feels smooth under her grasp, like it isn’t wood at all. 

 

She steps out into the field, the damp wheat sinking under her boots and the rainy air refreshing her. She takes a deep breath and begins a trek west, towards a forested horizon with a dirt path cut in between.

 

**\---**

 

You are alone even when surrounded by village people. You don’t remember how you got here, only why you came. There is something dangerous that you were required to hide. It’s sunny, but it might as well be pitch dark outside. 

 

You feel an itch in the back of your mind.

 

It almost overpowers the pulse of your heartbeat that courses through your body.

 

The itch is a voice, slithering and quiet, drilling through your eardrums and waiting for you to succumb, just to scratch it once…

 

But you say no for the hundredth time. You told yourself you wouldn’t let it get to you. You told yourself you’d be careful, that you’d harness that itch for good when the time came. 

 

Your hand is hot, burning, heavy. Like it’s disconnected from the rest of your body. It feels… natural. Good, even. Fantastic.  _ Powerful _ .

 

Everything is red like you’re wearing tinted glasses. It smells like smoke, feels like fire, looks like ashes. As far as you know, the world around you doesn’t even exist. It doesn’t matter.

 

_...Would it really hurt so much just to scratch that itch just for a second? It couldn’t possibly be as bad as you made it out to be. You know you always make things look worse than they are in reality. It’s in your nature.  _

 

“And it’s in my nature for a reason, you think. I need to be careful. I need to stay strong.”

 

_ Wouldn’t you like to seek justice, though? To bring revelation to the world? To save all those who are lost and destroy any who defy you in an instant? _

 

“Stop talking.” 

 

_ Listen to yourself. Fighting with your own mind like some maniac. You’re better than that. You didn’t come all this way just to go insane, what will they think of you then?  _

 

“You aren’t me.” Her words are harsh, spoken in such a tone that it feels like a sharpened blade to the ear. It’s quieter now.

 

_ I am a part of you now, whether you like it or not. _

 

“No. I can get rid of you whenever I want and you have no power to stop me.”

 

_ No, I don’t think you can. You brought me here. You created me and gave me power. This is your fault. _

 

“…”

 

_ Don’t go silent on me, now. That doesn’t have to be a bad thing. It can be good! You can be the greatest hero the world has ever known and ever will know! _

 

The itch is getting more powerful.  _ You wouldn’t be losing anything if you gave in, in fact, you’d be winning something. _

 

Your fingers are twitching.

 

There is sweat on your forehead.

 

It’s hot but numbing.

 

_ And you like that feeling. _

 

“No I don’t. Stop it. Stop it. Stop-”

 

_ You don’t have to hurt anymore, Lulu.  _

 

“DON’T CALL ME THAT. I’LL KILL YOU.”

 

_ Your brother would want you to win. If he was here- _

 

“STOP IT! SHUT THE HELL UP!”

 

There are tears in your eyes, flushing your cheeks and blurring your vision even further.

 

You snapped like a twig underneath a heavy boot. There is a bright, hot flash of light like the sun has descended to the planet’s surface, right on top of you, and then, just as soon as it occurred, it’s over. The itch finally went away.

 

Your vision clears. You are no longer standing in that tiny village. It didn’t mean much before, and it certainly doesn’t now. All that’s beneath you is shiny black glass, still steaming hot, trailing out for hundreds of feet outward.

 

The town has disappeared into thin air, along with all its residents.

 

Your reflection stares back with beady red eyes.

 

_ I’m proud of you.  _

 

_ Let’s keep going.   _


	2. She’s Just A Hunka-Hunka Burnin' Love And Vigilante Justice and Unbridled Rage, But Mostly The Second And Third Thing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The weight of the world is now on Lucretia's shoulders- she just has to carry it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hm. im sad

The marketplace is bursting with life. Lucretia should’ve expected that, it being at the center of the town. Vendors in colorful tents wove down customers and advertised their wares with barking shouts as people of all shapes and species slipped between the crowd and haggled what they could. - Lucretia couldn’t help but gape a little as she perused the merchandise:  plants of every variety from every country in the world; food from popular and unpopular cultures alike; magical items that one would think could only be found through daring quests.

 

She regretted not bringing her journal along with her - everything sold here would make a lovely sketch in its pages - but she did her best to remember the prettiest things and saved them in her mind for later.

 

In her childlike amazement, Lucretia hardly noticed the occasional hungry glance, suspicious eyes focused laser-like on her staff. 

 

After a few minutes of wandering, she came upon a vendor with items just within her budget.A humble old man in dark purple robes sat behind the table, counting change.“You lookin’ for somethin’ in particular?” He asked, his voice gruff but genuine.

 

Lucretia perked up, judging by the man’s careful gaze that he had been speaking to her. “Oh! Yes, um, I just need to get, uh…” 

 

She scanned the store’s inventory quickly. A vial of dark blue ink on a high shelf caught her eye and she grinned.

 

“I need that ink. Right now. Please?”

 

He laughed. “Of course, hon, I’ll get that for ya.” With a flick of his wrist, the inkwell glowed a shimmering magenta color and levitated down to the counter. “Anythin’ else, dearie?”

 

She glanced around once more, but saw nothing else that interested her. “Um, no, I think that’ll be all, thank you.”

 

Lucretia paid the man and thanked him once more before turning her heel and stepping back into the crowd..

 

The inkwell was gently put into her bag as she navigated through the throngs of people. She absentmindedly tuned into the conversations she passed by, like flicking through channels on the radio.

 

“...the whole place? Just like that?” One voice that floated towards her ears said.

 

A second voice spoke up through the masses to explain. “Yeah! It was wild! They said there was a big pillar of flames, and-”

 

Lucretia stopped in her tracks and turned her head towards the voices. “I’m sorry, what’s this about a pillar of flames?”

 

The second voice, which turned out to be a half-elf with curly red hair, spoke up. “Yeah, y’know Phandalin?”

 

“Uh, I’ve heard of it, yes.”

 

The half-elf’s eyebrows shot up as she began to tell the story, hands gesturing so excitably it seemed as if they were trying to separate themselves from the rest of her body. “Well the other day it just straight-up disappeared into thin air! At least, that’s what I heard. Nobody knows who did it, but if you ask me, I think it’s that crazy elf lady they spotted in the woods last week.”

 

Lucretia clenched her jaw. It couldn’t have been Lup. There could be any number of mysterious elven women with extremely powerful evocation magic, right?

 

“Does anyone know where she went?”

 

“Hm…? Oh, uh, there are rumors that she was heading to the northern province of Neverwinter.” The moment the half-elf returned to their private conversation,Lucretia ran as fast as she possibly could away from the marketplace. Her mind racing faster than her legs, she was barely aware of where she was spiriting herself until her energy gave out and she stopped, panting, in the middle of a wooded clearing. .

 

After a moment of recollection, Lucretia hoisted up her skirt and began to channel a spell into her tightly-gripped staff.

 

_ Are you going to find them, Lucretia? Do you require my help? _

 

She felt silly responding to a voice in her head, but she knew it wasn’t her own. It was quieter, more commanding. “Get me to where Lup is.”

 

_ Your wish is my command, madam. _

 

Instantly, a bright white light consumed her, and a moment later she found herself somewhere else entirely. A shepherd’s village sprawled out before her, resting comfortably in the shadow of the mountain behind it.  Her confusion only stopped her momentarily before she began to glance around frantically for any sign of Lup.

 

A fireball appeared in her peripheral. Lucretia reflexively blocked her head, and the spell skimmed her arm and obliterated a bale of hay behind her.. She turned to see the caster, ignoring the burning pain that now crawled up her arm.

 

Lup walked slowly, face contorted by wrath, her gauntlet balled into a fist by her chest.

 

“Oh my gods, Lup? What’s the matter with you?” 

 

She stopped. The expression on her face changed from one of anger into one of shock. Eyes that were previously a solid red reverted to the familiar purple that Lucretia had been longing to see. Lup blinked a few times, and the look she gave Lucretia was one she had seen a billion times. Lup was no doubt glad to see her. She would’ve smiled if the situation wasn’t so tense.

 

“Wh- Lucretia, what are you doing here? How-” Lup’s voice was distressed, and Lucretia’s mind immediately jumped to possible causes. Had she gotten hurt? Was she lost?

 

“I’m-” Lucretia sighed, then shook her head. “No, I asked you first. Tell me what’s going on.”

 

Lup looked offended. “I’m… saving everyone?”

 

Lucretia’s confusion only deepened. “Saving everyone from  _ what _ , exactly?”

 

“Oh, y’know, like, criminals and disasters and stuff. You got a problem with that?” Lup cocked her head to the side, the corner of her mouth twitching upwards into something less friendly than a smile.

 

“Oh, n-no, I just think it’s weird how that’s your first priority and not hiding your relic so you can come home to your family.” Okay, maybe that was a bit harsh, even for how Lucretia was feeling. She almost said sorry.

 

Lup’s brow furrowed. “Are you trying to stop me from helping people?” Anger leaked out of her voice like poison. 

 

“No, no. I- there’s nothing wrong with that, but I just want to know what’s going on. You never disappear for this long. You know we miss you, Lup. Do you not miss us?”

 

Lup didn’t reply, but the way she held herself was a telling sign of her guilt: arms crossed over her chest, avoiding eye contact, head tilted downwards and to the left.

 

Lucretia softened. “Come on. Please. Don’t you remember the plan? Put your Relic somewhere safe and then come with me, we can get Taako and everyone else and have a nice dinner before sundown, okay?”

 

Lup paused, her eyes looking around as if for an answer. “Taako…?” She drew out his name as if it were difficult to pronounce. She cocked her head to the side.“Who is that?”

 

Lucretia’s heart skipped a beat. “You- you can’t be serious.” She took a step toward her friend. “He’s your identical twin, Lup. You two are practically joined at the hip. You can’t possibly tell me you don’t remember.”

 

The elf’s breathing became shallow and her face paled. She was shaking in place with her eyes tightly squeezed shut as if she was fighting back against her own body. Was she going to break down?

 

No. Lup changed her posture again, poised over Lucretia. Her gloved hand twitched, ready to strike at a moment’s notice. 

 

“It wants you to be quiet, Lucretia.” Her eyes were flooded with a burning red, unfamiliar and sinister.

 

“Who are you?”

 

“I’m…” Lup paused. “Lup. World’s greatest hero.” Her voice was robotic. She didn’t sound like herself anymore. Was she under some sort of mind control spell?

 

Lucretia threw up her hands in an attempt to calm Lup’s increasingly irate temper.  “Please, just let me help you.” Desperation shook her voice. 

 

_ You need to leave. _

 

Lucretia felt hot. The temperature of the air was rising. 

 

“Go away. Don’t come back unless you want to be useful.” Lup raised the fist that held the gauntlet. “And you won’t be. I don’t need anyone’s help but my own.”

 

“Lup, come on!” Lucretia was screaming now. “This isn't you!”

 

Lup shot her a cold glare, and the gauntlet began to ignite with powerful, hungry flames. Any recognition Lucretia had seen in her face had vanished.

 

“Lup is mine now.”

 

A bright white light appeared from the tip of Lucretia’s staff. She felt her body dematerialize, and quickly reassemble back at the Starblaster. Any words she had died in her throat. She was shaking, her body overcome with grief. She made her way to Fisher’s tank and sank to the floor with her back against the cold glass. The only time she remembered sobbing this hard was the year she spent alone, running for her life. 

 

She was trapped in that year once more, only now, it was much worse.

 

_ So, so much worse. _


End file.
